1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to consumer-based online digital media services, and more particularly, to the performance of music and video samples over the Internet in response to media related Internet searches made by consumers.
2. Background of the Invention
As the Internet becomes an increasingly accessible interactive medium for entertainment and merchandising, Internet web sites have become available that enable consumers to shop for and purchase music, videos and video games (media) online. Particularly, consumers can access any of several popular web sites to perform searches for desired performing artists, albums, songs, movies or games and then purchase media for delivery via mail-order or download. To provide an interactive multimedia experience, some web sites also enable consumers to preview sample of media products before purchase. These samples may include song clips from an artist or album, trailers from a video, and clips from a playing session of a video game. In this manner, media samples have proven to be a useful tool to encourage and assist consumers in selecting media to purchase online.
As an example, Internet music retailers presently include links to a music server to provide music samples to consumers while browsing their respective web sites. After a consumer performs a search for an album or musical artist on a music retailer's web site, the consumer can click on a link to preview one or more music samples for the chosen product. The link connects the consumer's computer with the music server, which has a database of music samples. The music server then looks through the database to find the sample desired by the consumer. As the sample is retrieved, the consumer's web browser is notified to automatically open the consumer's media player to play the sample. If the music server is provided by a third party, the music server provider ultimately determines billing information for the service based on which retailer provided the link to the consumer to retrieve the sample.
The provision of music samples by Internet music retailers demonstrates an effort to simulate or improve upon an atmosphere that consumers may encounter at a traditional media store. There is typically music or video playing in the background of a conventional record or movie store to encourage consumers to purchase media that is “on-sale” or is otherwise a “featured selection.” If a record store has separate rooms for different genres of music, different types of music may be playing throughout the store that is correlated to the respective sections. For example, a jazz selection may be playing in the jazz section of the record store, while a classical selection may be playing simultaneously in the classical section. Additionally or alternatively, some music stores feature kiosks or “preview stations” through which customers can individually preview music samples from albums that are “on-sale” or are “featured selections.”
While playing music in the background in record stores and providing music samples in kiosks or through Internet retailer web sites can be useful to encourage consumers to purchase music, there are certain inherent limitations that are associated with these services. For example, a record store cannot personalize the selection of songs played in the background to the particular tastes of the customers who are in the store at any given time. If consumers dislike the featured selections being played in the background and find the music to be distracting, this may actually discourage sales from those consumers.
Although kiosks and Internet web sites enable individual consumers to select media samples to preview, this does not occur until after the consumers perform searches for an artist and a corresponding album by that artist, or has located a video. In this manner, the provision of media samples is not being “pushed out” to encourage the consumers to listen, but is provided only after consumers choose a media samples from a product that they are considering for purchase. This process of searching can involve several steps that must be repeated for every media item the consumer considers. This creates a laborious purchasing atmosphere for the consumer, and reduces the opportunity for add-on sales for the retailer.
Furthermore, whether media samples are provided in stores or on consumers' computers while accessing Internet retailer web sites, consumers must first enter a retailing environment before being offered the opportunity to preview and purchase the media. This precludes opportunities for using media samples to lead consumers into purchasing decisions.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system for providing media samples online, which streamlines the consumer's ability to preview and purchase media products.